Page 72 of Dangerous Command

I couldn’t test that theory.

“I’ll be waiting.” I would be close, closer than she would like. But at least I would be doing what she wanted: staying out of it. “Call me if you need anything.”

She grabbed her purse.

“I’m serious, Mads,” I said.

“I know you are,” she said, but then she left.

CHAPTER 21

Derek

While I waited in that apartment, ten seconds went by. Then twelve.

But patience wasn’t my strength. This was Murowewere dealing with, and that meant that there were no promises. I sure as hell wasn’t going to let Muro touch Mack or Maddie.

My brothers charged behind me.

“Where is she going?” Wil asked.

“I’ll get the team ready,” Axe said.

“We’ll follow her,” Wil added, “Then we’ll kill herandMuro.”

I whipped around. “Stand the fuck down,” I ordered, my voice booming. They both stilled, and the entire team of our men turned to me, staring in shock. “I will give you my command,” I said, keeping my voice even, “But this is my problem. And I intend on fixing it.”

Wil stared at me, his eyes wide, his shoulders tensed.

“Is this about Maddie?”

“Stand down, Wilhelm,” I growled.

Axe glanced at Wil; they exchanged silent communications.

“All right,” Wil said. Axe nodded. “Fine. We’ve been there too.”

And I had stood by both of them, even when I disagreed with their choices to save their wives’ lives.

Maddie wasn’t my family, but this wasmychoice.

I raced to Maddie’s car. She started the engine, but I banged on the window. She rolled it down.

“Don’t,” she said.

I handed her a gun. “You’ll need this.” She stared at it for a moment. She had one in her purse, but the urge to give her more protection erupted out of me. I couldn’t be there, but my gun could. “It’s just like you did with Kit,” I said. “Aim. Pull the trigger.” She took it from my hand reluctantly, then faced forward. “I will be close by.”

She put the car into reverse.

I followed behind her. Muro hadn’t given us a location, and yet Maddie knew exactly where to go. I didn’t think that the pile of rubble that had once been the Midnight Miles Headquarters would have been Muro’s chosen location, but that’s where she went. Like a ghost town of clutter, untouched for months. What was this city doing with a parking lot full of debris?

It was almost as if everyone knew that Muro wanted it untouched. Even when he wasn’t there, the city itself still ran on Muro’s time. His wrath reigned over all.

But not over us.

I drove around the corner to the back of a building. With my car hidden behind the trees, I waited, tapping my fingers along the steering wheel. Blood pulsed in my veins, boiling me alive.

The clock ticked by one minute. Then two. Three. By the time it hit five minutes, I was done waiting.